A traveller praying in full (itmam)

Question

Zayd went from Deoband on a legal journey; there he performed qasr, and not only that — he also led other people in prayer, but he had no thought of being on a journey. What is the status of his leading the prayer and of his praying four rak‘as himself? Was the prayer of those people valid or not? He also did not know whether the term “journey” could apply to going as far as that place or not, and whether the journey must be undertaken with the intention of qasr or of not shortening.

Answer

When a person sets out intending to cover the legal travel distance, qasr becomes wajib for him — whether he prays alone or leads the prayer as imam; itmam is not allowed. If the thought of travel left him, or out of ignorance of the ruling he performed itmam, and he also sat (qa‘da) after two rak‘as, then the prayer is valid, two rak‘as being fard and two nafl.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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